Governments are working on plans to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil choke point. The Iran war has effectively closed the waterway and pushed up gasoline prices. French President Emmanuel Macron is leading an international effort to reopen the waterway “when circumstances permit.” Retired naval officers say that using warships to escort tankers would make no sense during active combat. They say ships have little room in the waterway to evade attacks. Navies have recent escort experience in the Red Sea against Houthi drones and missiles. Experts say Hormuz poses far higher risks. Iran has missiles, drones, fast boats and naval mines. Insurers also drive decisions. Premiums for ships wanting to use the strait have surged.

Oil prices are up swinging wildly as the widening Iran war disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting how important the passageway is to the world’s oil supply. The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Tankers traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran, carry oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Iran. Most of that oil goes to Asia. Any disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is highly disruptive to the oil trade.

A crowded bus in Nepal has crashed off a mountain highway, killing 19 people including a British national. Police say the bus drove off the Prithvi highway after midnight on Monday. It rolled down a slope and landed on the bank of the Trishuli river. Rescuers were able to reach the site soon after the crash. They pulled injured passengers from the wreckage and sent them to hospitals. About 25 people were hurt, a Chinese national and a woman from New Zealand, and police were investigating the cause. Nepal sees frequent deadly bus crashes, in large part because of poor roads and poorly maintained vehicles.

Iran has announced the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz for live fire military drills. The rare show of force came as its negotiators held another round of indirect talks with the United States over its disputed nuclear program. It was the first time Iran has announced the closure of the key international waterway since the U.S. began threatening Iran and rushing military assets to the region. Iran's foreign minister expressed optimism about Tuesday's talks. U.S. Vice President JD Vance was more circumspect, saying, “In some ways, it went well,” but noting it was clear that wide gaps remained. The two sides are expected to hold more negotiations in two weeks.

Iran says it temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most crucial shipping lanes, for a military drill and missile test. The narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the outside world is the route for a fifth of the world's oil supplies. The extent and impact of Tuesday's closure were not immediately clear, though Iranian media said it would last for several hours. The closure was a signal from Iran of the potential fallout if the United States goes through with threats to attack.